Alleging that corporate schools were fleecing the parents of students in the name of fees, the AP Balala Hakkula Sangham has demanded that a mechanism be put in place to control it.
Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, Sangham president Achyuta Rao said that corporate and private schools were charging fees as they liked in violation of rules and regulations of the state government. Moreover, the fee receipts issued by them did not show the entire amount paid by parents, he alleged.
Citing a letter, which he got from a parent, Rao said the Delhi Public School (DPS) in the city was charging Rs 1.20 lakh as donation and fees but the receipt issued by it showed the collection as Rs 2,500. ‘’It is not the lone case. Other corporate schools are also doing the same. They have no respect for government’s rules and regulations. In clear violation of RTE, they sell textbooks on the school premises, give publicity to the school using a few brilliant students as the face of the school. But they hide information on things like the actual strength of the school, how the other students fare, how many got second division and how many have failed, etc.’’
Rao said that at one time summer meant some respite to the parents but not now as the greed of corporate schools was bleeding the savings of the middle-class parents.
‘‘But the assured quality of education is nowhere visible in those schools. Moreover, discrimination among the students is quite evident. The creme of the merit students is segregated and made to mug up while others are degraded, which make them lose their self-confidence,’’ he said.
The BHS appealed to legislators of all parties to discuss issues that affect school education and students. ‘’Do not neglect them because they are not voters. Do not forget that their parents are voters and will not take it kindly if the future of their children is in jeopardy,’’ the BHS leaders said.
BHS, which had conducted a sting operation, submitted CDs as evidence of violation of rules by several schools to the High Court, Lokayukta, department of school education and political leaders.
‘’We have decided to launch a people’s movement against such violations and will, if needed, stage protest demonstrations at schools which violate rules and regulations,’’ BHS general secretary Viaya Reddy said.
The organisation also wants government teachers to admit their children to government schools.
